United Airlines, TransNusa and Vietjet are adding new routes within the Asia-Pacific region over the coming months.

 

Tokyo Narita-Ulaanbaatar

 

United Airlines is set to become the only U.S. carrier serving Mongolia with a new seasonal route between Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) and Ulaanbaatar’s Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN).

The 1,896-mi. (498-nm) fifth-freedom route will operate three times weekly using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, starting on May 1. The westbound service will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the eastbound flight will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The move taps into Mongolia’s growing tourism industry, which has seen an increase in foreign visitors in 2024, rising from about 650,000 in 2023 to more than 727,000 visitors last year. Tourism is regarded as an important sector in Mongolia’s efforts to diversify its economy, which has traditionally relied on the export-oriented mining industry.

United has also been reinvesting in NRT as a regional hub, a shift from its prior focus on direct U.S.-Asia routes. Once a critical transpacific gateway for United, NRT saw reduced importance following the expansion of operations at Tokyo Haneda.

However, United has begun repurposing NRT as a connection point for underserved Asian markets, particularly where demand for nonstop U.S. service is limited. In addition to its longstanding flights to Guam, a U.S. territory in the Western Pacific, United launched service from Narita to Saipan, the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands, in 2022.

This was followed by the introduction of flights to Cebu, Philippines, in 2024. The airline will further expand its regional network with service from Narita to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, starting July 11, making it United’s second destination in Taiwan, alongside Taipei.

According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, there are currently only two operators of nonstop flights between Tokyo and Mongolia at present. MIAT – Mongolian Airlines offers a 6X-weekly NRT-UBN service using a mix of 737-8, 737-800 and 767-300s, while Aero Mongolia serves the sector twice a week with Airbus A319s.

In addition to attracting leisure traffic from the U.S., United will be hoping its partnership with All Nippon Airways will support the new route by providing feed.


Bali-Perth

 

Indonesian carrier TransNusa is making its Australian debut with the launch of nonstop flights between Bali’s Denpasar International Airport and Perth Airport.

The new service, set to begin March 20, will initially operate three times per week before ramping up to daily flights from June 1. The carrier will deploy a 174-seat Airbus A320 aircraft on the sector.

TransNusa will face direct competition on the popular leisure route with four other carriers, which collectively provide more than 70 roundtrip flights per week and about 26,000 two-way weekly seats.

According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, TransNusa will have a capacity share of the market at about 5% during April, trailing AirAsia Indonesia on 45.5%, Jetstar on 33.5%, Batik Air Malaysia on 8.2% and Batik Air on 7.8%.

TransNusa was initially established in 2005, operating domestic flights in Indonesia. After ceasing operations in 2020 due to the pandemic, the airline was revived in 2022 following a change in ownership and management. It has since rebranded from an LCC to a premium service carrier.

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In addition to targeting Bali-Perth leisure flows, the airline is also launching a new route between Bali and Guangzhou, which is also designed to boost Australia-China connecting traffic.

The Bali-Guangzhou route will operate four times per week from April 13 using A320s.

Until May 21, there will be three connecting flights from Guangzhou to Perth, while from Perth there will be two connecting flights via Bali to Guangzhou.

According to Sabre Market Intelligence data, O&D traffic between China and Perth totaled about 102,000 two-way passengers in 2024, with Guangzhou-Perth the third-largest city pair after Shanghai and Beijing.


Ho Chi Minh City-Auckland

 

Vietjet is set to reconnect Vietnam and New Zealand with the launch of nonstop Ho Chi Minh City-Auckland flights in September, marking the first scheduled direct service between the two countries in seven years.

The route, operating four times per week, aligns with Vietjet’s rapid international expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, following its entry into Australia last year.

The 5,502-mi. (4,781-nm) Ho Chi Minh City-Auckland route was last operated by Air New Zealand, which withdrew in October 2018 due to operational constraints linked to its Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-powered Boeing 787 fleet.

Since then, no airline has provided nonstop Vietnam-New Zealand flights, forcing passengers to rely on one-stop itineraries via the likes of Singapore, Guangzhou and Sydney.

However, market data suggests a strong demand base. Sabre Market Intelligence data reveals 63,000 two-way passengers between Vietnam and New Zealand in 2024, with Ho Chi Minh City-Auckland and Hanoi-Auckland as the largest city pairs.

Vietjet’s New Zealand move follows its Australian expansion, where it now operates six routes and holds a 48% market share, surpassing Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar. With no direct competitors on Ho Chi Minh City-Auckland, Vietjet’s low-cost model will stimulate new demand, as well as capturing the one-stop traffic that already exists.

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